California's jobless rate ticked up to 6.6 percent last month, and the nation's Western region continued to suffer the highest unemployment in the country, according to a federal report released Tuesday.

The figures, released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, show that the Western region -- California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii -- continues to be the hardest hit economically.

There were 1.55 million unemployed people in the region in December, or 6.6 percent of the labor force, up from 1.53 million, or 6.5 percent, in November, and from 1.48 million, or 6.4 percent, a year earlier.

California represented the bulk of that unemployed population, with 1.16 million unemployed, or 6.6 percent. That compared with 1.15 million, or 6.5 percent, in November and 1.08 million, or 6.1 percent, in the year-earlier period.

The rates for California and the Western region compare with a national jobless rate of 6 percent. The mid-Atlantic states had the second-highest rate at 5.7 percent.

The results stand in stark contrast to the boom times of just a few years ago, when jobs were in ready supply.

Kyser said the labor picture probably won't improve in the West in the near future, as the looming possibility of war will continue to create a burden of uncertainty on the economy. His agency is predicting an anemic 0.7 percent growth rate in the first quarter of this year, and 1.2 percent growth in the second quarter.

The unemployment rate in several Western states is even worse, on a percentage basis, than California's -- although the Golden State gets the attention because of its high national profile.

Oregon, which has also been hit hard by the downturn in the technology sector, saw unemployment of 7 percent in December, although that was down from 7.1 percent in November and 7.8 percent in December 2001.

In Washington, where the aerospace industry has cut jobs drastically, the rate was 6.8 percent, up from 6.7 percent in November, but down from 7.4 percent in December of 2001.

"The West was growing at a red-hot pace, and now the West is really struggling," Kyser said.

"The brightest light is probably California. Everyone is waiting for when the tech sector is going to recover. We're seeing a few signs, but it's going to be a muted recovery."

West Coast sees higher unemployment

Some Western states led the country in unemployment rates during December, clearing the national average of 6 percent, according to Labor Department statistics released Tuesday. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December 2002: . Source: Department of Labor